Pike/Democrat photo
Spaulding's Loukas Brigham, right, slides safely into third base as BG's Quinn Pasquale waits for the throw during Thursday night's D-I game in Rochester.

ROCHESTER — One out from a complete game, Mark Leahy had to give up the ball. It didn’t take him long to get it back.

After pitching a gutsy 6.2 innings, the senior right-hander was involved in the game-ending play at first base that sealed the Spaulding High School baseball team’s 5-3 win Thursday over Bishop Guertin at Bert George Field.

The Red Raiders improved to 9-6 in Division I with just their third win in the last nine games. The victory also snapped a two-game losing streak.

BG dropped to 10-8 with its third consecutive loss and fifth in seven games.

“(Leahy) got out of a lot of tough jams,” said Spaulding coach Paul George. “That’s what you want from your seniors — to get it done under those circumstances and he did.”

Trailing 5-2 entering the seventh, the Cardinals had already scored once and had the potential tying run on second base with two down.

Zach Poisson came on in relief of Leahy, who moved to first. BG’s Jon McQuarrie hit a slow one-hopper toward third that Josh Gagne had to charge.

Gagne’s throw to a stretching Leahy nipped McQuarrie on a bang-bang play. Gagne, who pitched Wednesday night against Merrimack, went in to play third during Thursday’s pitching change.

“I stretched as far as I could,” Leahy said. “I wanted the W. We needed it.

“I think he was out,” he added. “It was wicked close.”

Guertin stranded 11 baserunners, including eight in scoring position. The Cardinals left the bases loaded in the fifth and stranded two in three other innings.

Leahy retired the side in order only once — in the second inning.

Leading 1-0, Spaulding scored four runs in the second to give Leahy a cushion he protected well until coming out in the seventh after throwing 105 pitches.

“I just tried to keep the ball low,” Leahy said. “In my previous start (my pitches) were staying up and they were making good contact. I trusted my D and just tried to pitch to contact.”

What did George see from Leahy?

“Toughness and the fact he was throwing a lot of strikes,” he said. “That’s what we really need from him — to live low, mix up his speeds and his pitches and attack the strike zone.”

Leahy allowed seven hits and three runs with four strikeouts and three walks. Leahy also hit three batters, including two in the seventh.

The next hitter, Quinn Pasquale, roped a ground-rule double to left-center scoring one run and putting runners on second and third with two down.

“I wasn’t sure if that one was staying in the ball park when he first hit it,” Leahy said. “I was relieved when it stayed in.”

Poisson, another senior, came on to retire the only batter he faced to earn the save.

“I was pretty tired,” Leahy said. “I would have liked to finish it off, but I had all the faith in Zach. He throws the ball hard. I had no doubt he’d get the job done.”

The Red Raiders scored once in the first when Alex Gray singled to left, stole second and third and came home when Justin Jewell beat out an infield hit to second.

BG’s CJ Boykin made a diving, back-handed stop, but couldn’t get Jewell at first.

Spaulding tacked on four more runs in the second. Loukas Brigham singled to center, Adam Thurber walked and Trevor Roy beat out a bunt down the third base line to load the bases with no outs.

Anthony Diprizio and Poisson both walked with the bases loaded to force in two runs. Gray (2 hits, intentional walk) delivered another with a single to right and the Red Raiders made it 5-0 on a double-play ball by Leahy.

“I can’t explain enough how much that helps,” Leahy said. “Pitching with a lead makes it so much easier.”

The score stayed that way until the fifth when Guertin finally broke through when Andrew Mierzwa walked with the bases loaded.

Leahy escaped further damage when he induced the next batter to foul out.